Earning praise both from the client, and for the performance of the contract team, the construction of a luxurious new 30-bedroom two-storey extension with high specification facilities throughout has been completed – dramatically expanding facilities at Windsor Care Home in Victoria Road East, Hebburn.
The extension, which was completed in April 2015, was fully occupied almost immediately and has proved extremely popular.
The extension was designed by Mario Michella Architects, working with Wearside Construction, who were commended for their work on the scheme.
“The client was delighted with the new building and the contractor did a great job with a very high standard of workmanship, completing the project both on time and on budget,” said Mario Minchella.
The privately owned Windsor Care Home was constructed in 1995 and had been extended several times to accommodate 43 bedrooms, with the last extension being built in 2011.
The owners then decided to undertake the recently completed much larger extension to boost the home’s capacity to 73 bedrooms.
The extension was built on the site of the former Greenfields Special School, the remnants of which were demolished. The school closed its doors in 2012 as part of a shake-up in special education within the borough, and pupils moved to the new £9.5m Keelman’s Way special school in Hebburn.
The owners of the Windsor Care Home then purchased the land from the local authority.
A report to the local planning committee said: “The proposed development would provide an additional residential facility on this previously developed site, which is allocated for residential purposes.
“The design of the proposed development would respect the character of the area and it is considered that it would not be detrimental to the visual or residential amenities of the area.”
The site is bounded to the north by The Clock playing fields, to the west by The Clock public house and to the east by the former Jarrow Service Station.
In addition to the 30 single en-suite bedrooms, the extension contains a wide range of other facilities including lounges, dining rooms, a cinema room and some ancillary accommodation – all located round a central landscaped courtyard offering pleasant views for residents and allowing a high level of natural light into the building.
The courtyard also provides an outdoor protected area for residents to enjoy.
All of the bedrooms have an approximate 21m floor area – larger than the minimum requirement for this type of accommodation – and all have an en-suite wet room containing shower, hand basin and toilet facilities.
“All of the bedrooms are finished to a very high specification and incorporate very high quality fixtures, fittings and furnishings,” said Mario Minchella.
In addition, a hotel style entrance foyer area has been created, which also incorporates a shop for residents, as well as a coffee area, which visitors and the general public are also welcomed into.
The building is constructed in brick and block with concrete floors, uPVC framed double glazed windows and a timber roof with concrete tiled finish.
External works on the project included the provision of a new car park and a new pavement network.
Windsor Care Home provides both nursing and personal care.
All of the bedrooms at the care home are for single occupancy and have en-suite facilities. The home is located in a residential area with gardens to the front and gardens to the side of the building.
The care home is close to Hebburn town centre, as well as a number of local amenities and public transport provisions, including the popular Metro system.
Owned by two doctors, the home provides accommodation for adults over the age of 65, those with dementia and those who require nursing or personal care, diagnostic and screening procedures, and treatment of disease, disorder or injury.
Mario Minchella Architects specialise in projects for care homes, medical and dental facilities and student accommodation.
Care homes in focus
Either privately owned, charity-run or operated by local councils, care homes are available to provide residential care for those who require it. In the care home sector there are a number of options available to people, from homes for the elderly to homes for children and homes for young adults with disabilities.
Moving into a care home can be a big change and also a major commitment for the future. Those looking for a new care home need to consider what type of care they require: nursing care or standard personal care?
When looking for a new care home, the NHS advise that care home-seekers should “check the most recent inspection report to see how well the care home is doing and if there is anything of concern.” The NHS also suggests that location is an important consideration as is safety and security. After all, everyone wants to be safe and secure in life, so checking on the security arrangements of a care home is crucial to ensure that you and your loves ones are looked after in the best possible way.
Great care homes employ well-trained staff; involve residents, carers and their families in decision making situations; and support residents wherever possible.
If you would like further information on Care Homes, whatever your situation, please visit: www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/pages/care-homes.aspx
